THE “.MAORI PROPHET.”

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1906, Page 1

THE “.MAORI PROPHET.”

INTERVIEW WITH THE NATIVE .MINISTER, ‘•A YOUNG UPSTART.” [r.v Tia.ianiAi'ii —swxi.u, to tub star.] WELLINGTON, This Hay. Speaking to a Cost interviewer, regarding tlio utterances of the alleged Maori prophet at V hakatane, the lion, James Carroll says; “It savors vi rv iiiik-Ii of the hysterical. ’ "Te Rn-a,” he continued, “is not the sun ol Te Kooti—ho is just a young up, tar! - and like all there charlatan; he promises eternal life to anybody, and you always find human nature susceptible to these promises. But, like many others, this latest movement is merely a flash iu the- pan ; that’s my idea"of it. The message reft rs to 500 followers. From all I can hear there are about 100 iu 150. in all my enquiries 1 have not heard of till-st* persons being possessed iff modern lirearms. They may have a gnu or two to shoot birds in tho bush, ft,r it's all bush country there.” Tlie Minister commenced to quote from telegrams. ‘Tie was at A\ hakntaiio a fortnight since, with about 300 followers.” ran one despatch. ‘“That v.imHl be the people of the surrounding country collecting at a meeting, commented Air Carroll. “He was well received," according to another mes-

sage. ‘Of course people would gather round to hear him,” the Minister declared. “When a man professes to cure all diseases, he is bound to get a crowd round him.” ‘‘lie is quite a voting man, either a fanatic or U knave,” said a third telgram. “Ho is a fanatic," came the verdict of Mr Carroll. ‘‘lt is''ft case of hysterics and crazes. He doesn’t see why lie should not have a cut in.” The interviewer gathered that To Itua was making for the W aikaremoaua through the Urewera country. The Native Minister mentioned that he had given instructions to the police to keep an eye on To Hua, and had sent good advice to the chiefs of the districts. He did not anticipate that there was any danger of serious trouble, and scouted the suggestion. If there was anything tangible to go on, the authorities could arrest To Uua at any time, but they could not interfere with the liberty of the subject without fair grounds to go on, Jf there was any element of danger, Te ITna could bo secured any day. The Minister was -asked if the natives of the Urewera country had any grievances just now against the whites and replied that they had none. “At this hour of the day,” he concluded, “it is absurd to fear a Maori uprising or any hostile demonstration of a very serious menacing nature. 1 think it is only a religious tremor,” he laughed. ' “I don’t think it will come to a volcanic outburst.”

Briefly, Mr Carroll believes that a young man, by talking “big and loud” induces a crowd of curious persons to flock round him and regards this as a type of excitement not confined to Maoris, During last session, when Europeans were talking about certain Maoris’ adherence to Tohungas, Mr Carroll mentioned Dowio, who was believed to bo a sacred prophet by certain Europeans, and when there was a reference to certain “remedies” prescribed among Maoris, the Native Minister retaliated with a reference to Europeans’ faitli in patent medicines.